Manila: Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday urged the Philippine Construction Accreditation Board (PCAB) to take action against alleged 'accreditation for sale' practices instead of merely dismissing the issue as the work of outside scammers. Lacson highlighted concerns that contractors themselves have revealed paying at least PHP2 million in exchange for accreditation, raising doubts over the agency's claim that its licensing process remains intact. According to Philippines News Agency, Lacson emphasized the need for PCAB to address internal issues and monitor its personnel more closely. He criticized PCAB leadership for denying misconduct reports by attributing them to scammers and urged them to investigate their own ranks. Lacson warned that PCAB's credibility is at risk if it fails to provide explanations for why certain contractors, who paid hefty sums, were granted accreditation. Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III, during an earlier session, questioned Lacson about a contractor linked to a ghost pr oject in Bulacan who managed to renew its PCAB license for 2025 to 2027. Lacson also pointed out that firms with pending cases before the Court of Tax Appeals were still able to renew their accreditation, while smaller contractors with Single A licenses were allowed to undertake large projects. The senator called for PCAB to strengthen coordination with other government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, to prevent collusion in ghost and substandard projects. Lacson stressed the importance of having checks and balances instead of collusion. PCAB, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, previously denied the existence of an 'accreditation for sale' scheme, claiming that certain individuals on social media were misrepresenting the board. Under Republic Act 4566 or the Contractors' License Law, PCAB is mandated to regulate the construction industry by issuing, denying, suspending, or revoking licenses to ensure that only qualified contractors operate. It also register s and classifies licensed contractors for government projects, evaluating their financial capacity, technical expertise, equipment, and track record.